Commercial vehicles, such as commercial vans and the like, typically have a bulkhead separating the driver and passenger space from the cargo space. Bulkheads separate the driver and passenger space from the cargo space by extending from one side of the vehicle to the other and from the floor of the vehicle to the ceiling. Bulkheads typically consist of a one-piece sheet metal design, but could also be a multi-piece assembly such that two large stampings spot welded together form a box beam where the upper and lower portions overlap. Plywood and high strength plastics have also been used for bulkheads. Occasionally bulkheads have a portion cut out near the top so as to serve as a window for the driver to see into the cargo space and beyond the rear of the vehicle via use of the rearview mirror.
While effectively defining cargo space, the challenge presented by the known commercial van bulkhead is that it reduces overall flexibility of the vehicle. To have maximum flexibility the commercial van should be a dual-usage vehicle incorporating both a crew cab and a full load-length cargo area satisfies.
Such a dual-usage vehicle can be used to transport workers to a building site in the morning, be used to transport large goods during the working day and then be used to take the workers back home in the evening. Ideally the commercial van should function as a multi-use vehicle that can operate as family transport or as a business van for owner-operators.
In order to meet the demands of these roles the vehicle must be able to be easily converted between a single and a double cab van without requiring parts to be removed from the vehicle while meeting safety requirements such as the need for a full bulkhead in both configurations.
A moveable bulkhead with collapsible seats is set forth in, for example, GB-A-2,384,464. This arrangement provides a full seating position in one condition and a tightly packaged stowed condition. However, the configuration set forth in that reference has the disadvantage that the seats are mounted to the bulkhead. The mounting of the seats to the bulkhead is disadvantageous because it requires a more robust structure to be used for the bulkhead resulting in increased vehicle weight. This arrangement also places unique and expensive requirements on the bulkhead mechanism and latches in order to meet safety standards, in particular, seat belt standards.
Accordingly, as in so many areas of vehicle seating technology there is room for further advancement in the art of collapsible seat systems.